Tell me about Rivers-Marie PN.

Just got a save the date from them (Jan. 21st). Not sure if there was a wait list, but this is the first time I’m being offered wines.

So, whatcha know?

Go all in - The Sonoma Coast bottling (actually had a bottle of the 2011 on Saturday night) is the best $25 Pinot out there IMHO

I hear the winemaker walks the vineyards and has nicknames for all the vines.

I like the Pinot very much. The two that I don’t miss are the Summa “Old Vines” ( I have this thing for old vines are these are among the older Pinot vines in CA); and “Sonoma Coast”, which is one of the best value appellation wines year after year.

The style (to me) is “moderate” - a bit more fruit foward than say Copain … maybe more akin to a Rochioli or Dehlinger.

If you had to limit your purchase which svd are must buys. I’ve only opened the SC and enjoy the value.

This is also a first-come first-served offer, i.e., hurry before it sells out?

I’ve been lucky enough to have gotten a couple bottles of the 2012 Sonoma Coast. It is a wonderful wine and while drinking well now it really has a lot more stuffing than the 2010 and 2011. Feels like it will need some bottle age for everything to really come together and drink at its best but it appears that the trend of amazing QPR continues with this release…delicious juice.

Haven’t tried the SVD bottlings but I assume they will be similar in structure and ripeness to the SoCo pinot and will need some time.

I will be in for my allocation for sure!

The Sonoma Coast is definitely a high QPR winner. Will Segui also works for them, which makes it that much easier to support since he’s a great guy.

these are on the jammy side to my palate…for perspective, I’m mainly a Burg drinker who also enjoys restrained CA pinots like Peay, Littorai, Rhys, Anthill Farms and Kutch

I don’t believe it is, I think that all get an allocation that lasts for a week or less – however, I do recall some changes in allocations on certain items if there happens to be a mad rush for it – inexact science I suppose

I drank an 07 Occidental last week that was nothing remotely close to jammy - was lighter than Kutch’s and Littorai’s I’ve had. But I can see your viewpoint on the SC being jammy to your tastes…if you are coming from the Burg side.

I think the SC is a great bargain and very medium weighted and profiled for Cali Pinot, with a nice spice component.

I love Littorai, but the SVD’s I have had from RM I have found to be much lighter than their Littorai counterparts…

thanks for the feedback from others

checking it looks like my experience has been with the 2009s…skipped 2010 as a result…but bought a few 2011s to give them another look in a cooler vintage…I should probably pop one of those before making an informed judgment

I agree. Am no longer on the list. I found them somewhat blowsy and jammy. I’m more partial to Thomas, Peay, Rhys, Arterberry Maresh style of wine.

+1. Good customer service and supporting nice people is important to me, too.

Looks like I’ll be dipping my toes in. I’m guessing that I will enjoy these. Another question: is there a wait list? I’m wondering what will happen next round if I grab a couple/few bottles and leave some/most of my allocation. Thanks for the great input Berserkers.

Kyle, I like Mike D’s reply, agree with his take. I’ve been buying the wines since the 07 vintage, think that the SC pinot is consistently the best PN value anywhere. A buying decision here is good thinking IMO.

Count me as one who found them a but ‘jammy’, I was really surprised based on the tasting notes of others that commented that these were on the lighter side.
The wine I had wasn’t bad at all, but a little big for what I read/was expecting.

Count me in the list of these who finds these too ripe/sweet/jammy.

I just made the list too (yes, another list!) and will be going in on this one for sure.